If the Worst
by Nocturnal Muse
Summary: Well, the worst happened. I think it's a AU...Kurama got caught and has to make up for being Yoko Kurama. He writes a letter to his mother. Kinda a one shot with a sequal...
1. Chapter 1

If the Worst

Seven ogres surrounded a single redheaded male. All seven were variant shades of forest green, navy blue, and one dull orange one. A small point of a horn adorned the bald tops of each ogre's head, three on the biggest ogre that was leading. All of the ogres wore scant to nothing, a loincloth, revealing large semi-muscular-mostly-rotund bodies. There was no conversation amongst the conglomeration.

The redhead walked with his head downcast. His emerald green eyes held a slightly forlorn look, and deeper, barely perceptible, a look of defiance. The redhead wore a black

The escort came to the end of the large chamber like hall that they were walking down. The gigantic door swung open of it's own accord. The redhead was ushered though. The ogre group stayed waiting just outside the door.

The redhead continued walking to the center of the room, where a circle of light was. The rest of the room was somewhat shadowy although everything was visible. Stopping within the circle, the redhead looked up to the one who was judging him.

The toddler in the raised chair was dressed in clothes colored in light blues and mellow pinks. An accurately described baby blue pacifier was in his mouth. The toddler slowly shook his head.

That was the one who would judge the redhead. The toddler was in charge of the affairs in the afterlife and the interaction of supernatural affairs in the human plane.

The redhead bowed his head. There was nothing he could do. He had anticipated that.

The toddler spoke. "Minamino Shuichi, you have been accused of being the demon thief Yoko Kurama by a high force than myself. Is there anything you wish to say to this accusation?"

The redhead smiled at the ill sense of humor. Koenma knew all to well that it was true. He was there to have the proof if the toddler wanted to condemn the thief to whatever punishment would be at hand. Kurama said, "It is as you say, Koenma-sama."

"Do you know what that means?" Koenma asked, surprised.

"Yes, I do."

"You have admitted to being Yoko Kurama, therefore, admitting to committing all of the heinous crimes that the infamous thief Yoko Kurama committed."

"I cannot rightfully deny that."

"Then..." Koenma stopped. Why did he have to do this. He was loosing one of the key fighters for the Reikai in doing this. The toddler looked reluctantly to the corner of the room where his father, Enma-daio was watching before continuing his ruling. "Then...I here-by sentence you, Yoko Kurama to execution at dawn, tomorrow, as divine retribution to all of the crimes you have committed."

Koenma pressed a concealed button on the desk. A small buzzer went off. Two of the ogres that had led the criminal in walked up to either side of Kurama. Koenma watched dejectedly as the ogres led Kurama out of the room.

"An execution tomorrow, huh?" one of the green ogres asked after they were far out of ear shot of the room.

_So nice of them to notice_, Kurama thought.

"Hey, are you really the fox thief?" a blue one quipped.

"Woah, there watch out. He might have one of those plant weapons concealed somewhere. You wouldn't want him to snap your head off," the ogre with three horns said sarcastically.

Kurama stayed silent. _Those ogres are acting worse than humans_, Yoko commented.

"So, oh Bandit King, do you have any last words before we off ya tomorrow?"

"As a matter of fact, I would like to inform my mother of this," Kurama replied mildly.

The atmosphere had slowly changed from the torchlight grand corridor to a danker more dungeon appearance. A large whole in the wall had been carved out and bars ran across the opening. A door was opened and Kurama walked inside. The door locked behind him.

"Bring a piece of paper and a pen. Make it snappy," Three-horns told the orange ogre. The orange ogre scampered off and reappeared in a couple minutes with the desired supplies. These were handed to Kurama and then the ogres left.

Kurama sat against the wall, thinking. How should he phrase this so as not to hurt her too much with the ill tidings? His gaze drifted to the window, where the full moon was shining.

When Kurama was done, the letter read:

_Dear Mother,_

_I have been meaning to tell you this for a while, and the best moment I have found is now. I used to be a fox demon thief, but I was injured and my spirit possessed the body of your son, Shuichi. You have my utmost gratitude for keeping me safe over these long sixteen years, and from you I have gained a human identity and regret that which I did in my past life. _

_Yet, for all that you have done, I could not escape my past. It was revealed to higher authorities that I am the fox thief, Yoko Kurama, and I have been sentenced to death. Please don't worry, Mother. Just live your life as best you can with your boyfriend._

_I will always love you, my Mother. You have melted my dark side._

_Sayonara,_

_Your Shuichi Minamino_

Satisfied that it was as best he could do under the circumstances, Kurama folded the paper neatly and placed it by the door. A guard came by, Kurama brought it to his attention, and the guard ogre left with the paper in hand. All that was left was to wait for the sun to rise.


	2. Chapter 2

If the Worst

The lone letter fell into the letter slot with a hollow sound. The envelope was addressed to Minamino Shiori-san with no return address. She picked it up and read the contents at the kitchen table.

The letter fell out of Shiori's numb hands at the contents. Her son had been a demon fox? That would explain some of his behavior in the early stages of his life, and the straight-A marks in school, but...it didn't work.

Shuichi was at a friend's house, Shiori recalled. So, she hurried to the phone and looked up one of Shuichi's friends in the phone book. She dialed the number for Urameshi Yusuke. The boy's mother picked up. When Shiori asked, she got the "Oh, no, Yusuke came home alone yesterday."

Shiori flipped through the phone book, stopping at every phone number she could find. Nothing came up and she got the same responses.

Shiori sat at the table and cried, running her hands up and down the spidery scars along her arms. The only possibilities were that he was at school, or the letter was true.

The day went by, and Shiori busied herself by cleaning house and making food. She was on edge by the time Shuichi would normally come home from school. The hour came and went.

He must have a cram session, she assured herself. The sun set, and still her son did not return. Shiori called the school, asking if Shuichi had been there that day. He hadn't.

Sealing the devastating emotions away, Shiori set about making stir fry for two.

Behind her, the window slid open. Shiori turned slowly and froze as a silver haired man climbed into the house.

He stopped as soon as both feet were planted firmly on the ground. To Shiori, he looked like an angel with the pure white clothes, the silver hair, and the golden eyes. An uneartheal feel came when she spotted fuzzy animal ears.

"Shuichi?" Shiori asked breathlessly.

Suddenly, her son was standing in front of her, red hair, green eyes. Her Shuichi.

Shiori stepped forward and embraced her son, muttering about how worried she had been. Shuichi hugged her back, then pulled away.

"I can't stay long, Mother," he whispered.

"Why not Shuichi?"

"Did you get my letter?"

"Shuichi, was anything in that true?"

"All of it was, Mother."

"So I wasn't seeing things."

"No Mother. I really have to be going soon."

"Why would you leave me, Shuichi?"

"I don't really want to, but...it' for our own safety."

"Oh...you...you broke out of jail, didn't you?"

"Yoko broke out Mother. I can't die yet. In a few years, I can come back safely, but right now, the Reikai just needs to calm down. Until then, I can't stay. You understand, right, Mother?"

"Yes. You'll take care, wont you. Don't talk to strangers...and look both ways before crossing the streets."

Smiling sadly, Kurama whispered, "Yes, Mother."

With one last hug goodbye, Kurama turned. Changing back into the silver fox form, he leapt back out the window.

Tears trailed down Shiori's face, but she found herself laughing a little. The fox even had a tail. Even though she was worried about him, she decided it would be acceptable for him to come back after a few years had passed.

...End...

A.N. Ok, well, that was a One-shot turned two-shot. Kinda sad, but not so bad at the end.

It started because Kurama never told his mother about Yoko, which was odd. Also...Reikai (spirit realm) should have known about Yoko, made the connection due to the Mirror event, and the whole Dark Tournament thing... But...the series was better for it.

Syn: Oh yeah, and the scars on Shiori's arms...that's from the manga. She saved little Shuichi from a fall on shards...

H.D: Yeah, that was so cute -. Well, Not much else to say. I love reviewers and it sucks when people read my stories and don't review (like the ones that have 200 hits and 2 reviews!). All I ask is a simple answer to "is it good or bad?", so please people, please R&R.


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